Drop side cot



Dec.V 28 1926. 1,612,080-

J. WADDINGTON DROP SIDE COT Filed March 6, 1925 Patented Dec. 28, i926.

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DROP SIDE COT.

Application led March 6, 1925, Serial No.

This invention relates to improvements in drop Vside cots ot the type wherein the dropping side is slid into a position between the cot bottom and the floor to convert the cot into a settee.

The object of the invention is to provide a cot in which the sides, while being securely held in the raised position when the cot is serving its ordinary purpose, may be readily dropped down or removed even with one hand without any risk of jamming'.

According to the invention a drop side cot of the type referred to above is provided with apertured lugs near the lower corners of the dropping side and swivelling members, carried in the apertured lugs, and capable of a limited longitudinal movement within the lugs, the swivelling members being adapted to slidingly engage guides having substantially horizontal parts and upwardly curved Jforward ends, during the movement ot the dropping` side.

The sides of the cot when in the raised position are secured to the ends by dovetail joints and means are provided whereby the joints may be locked or unlocked.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation ot a cot with the side in the raised position,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line A-B of Fig. l, and with the dropping side in the lowered position. Y

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view on an enlarged scale illustrating the method -o joining the sides of the cot to the ends, and the locking device 'for the joint.

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively underside plan and end elevation of Fig. 3.

Figs. G and 7 are elevation and underside plant of a sliding member carried on the cot side, and

F ig. 8 is a view of a supporting rod carried on the cot end with. which the sliding members engage.

Referring to Fig. l, a is a cot side formed of upper and lower rails b, c, and bars or slats d, and e are the cot ends.

Upon the ends e are carried rods f having the form shown in Fig. 8, and these rods f are secured to the cot ends by passing their screwed ends g, 7L through apertured studs z' j projecting from the cot ends and securing by means of nuts le.

Upon each end of the lower rail 0 of the 13,559, and in Great Britain March 7, 15534.

cot side is mounted a bracket Z (see Figs. 6 and 7) having a pair ot' lugs m through apertures in which passes a pin n, having a ring o formed at one end, and provided with securing means, such as a washer p, at the other end.

It will be observed that the pin n is capable of a limited lateral movement in the lugs m for a purpose to be described later.

The rings o are slipped over the rods f before the latter are lixed in position on the cot ends so that the lower end ot the cot side is guided, during movement by the rods f.

In each end of the upper rail b of the cot side is formed a dovetail slot Q with which, in the raised position of the cot side, engages a ball headed stud '1" carried on the cot end e. Strengthening plates s are provided over the slots g, the plates being in the form of angle pieces and slit so as to substantially iit the neck of the ball headed stud 1f'. The slits are. iiared somewhat at the lower end (see Fig. 5) to facilitate the entry ot the ball headed studs r into the slits in the plates and into the slots g. Between the horizontal part of the angle piece s and the lower side oi the rail Zi a space is pro vided in which moves a member t having finger grips u by means ot which it may be moved in this space. It will be seen, on reference to Fig. 3, that when stud r is ein gaged within slot (y and the member 25 is moved to the left it will be impossible to disengage stud a" from slot Q without first moving member t to the right. A depression w is 'formed in member Z' which engages with the edge of the slit in plate s so that member/t cannot be moved 'trom the locked position without the exercise of a certain amount of pressure.

`When the side a of the cot is to be lowered the locking members t are moved from the locking position (to the right in Fig. 3) and the slots Q disengaged trom the studs 1 by raising the cot si-de through a. short distance. The position ot the stud i carrying the front end of rod 7 is so determined as to permit this slight upward movement. The side a is then lowered, passing through the intermediate position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and being iinally pushed to rest in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

ldhen, as is often the case, space in front of the cot is limited the initial part ot' the lowering movement of the movable cot side may be elleeted with the upper rail b ot the movable side moving substantially vertically, the lower rail moving bot-h downwards and rearwards until the side contacts with the edge of the cot bottom. rIhe upper rail of the side must then be swung ontwards and downwards, the lower end however being constantly moved rearwardly so that the upper rail ot the n'ioving sideicon stantly approaches the edge ot the cot bot tom.

luring this moven'ient ol the cot side the rings o slide along the rods f and any irregularity in the shape oi' the rods is allowed for by the limited lateral movement permitted to the pins n carrying the rings 0. For this'reason the rings o may be made a fairly good it yon the rods whereby the movement of the side is made smooth as well as tree.

Means such as studs .r are provided on the cot ends e to support the rail b ot the cot side in the lowered position. It desired the rail j may be arranged to drop slightly towards the rear so as to avoid any possible tendenev 'for the cot side a to move torward trom its position beneath the bottoni ot' the cot.

It will be readily understood that both cot sides may be arranged to slide away beneath the bottom vot' the cot but preferably the top and bottom rails ot the second side are connected with the cot ends by the ball headed stud and dovetail. joints above described, andl when this arrangement used it is desirable that the dovetail slots at the ends ot the lower rail should be longer than those at the ends yof the upper rail so that the lower connections can be made and the cot side thus held while the upper connections are made. Lugs 0/ are provided on the cot ends e tor the attachment of any suitable type of cot bottom, a spring mattress for example.

The cot may be Carried out equally well in wood or metal.

Instead ot the guide rods f wooden or metal slideways or channels may be provided, it necessary in the cot ends themselves, a iixed lug, T-piece, bearing roller or analogous device being` provided on the cot sides to engage and be guided by said slideways or channels.

The lower end oi the .rod f may in some cases be ixed to the leg o'l' the cot end, in stead of to the lower rail oi the cot end as shown in the drawings, this arrangement allowing of a deeper cot-side being used and accommodated beneath the cot. Moreover, though I have spoken of the guide rods or slideways being carried by the cot ends, I wish to make it clear that the invention also Covers such an alternative arrangement as slideways or rods carried by the mattress frame.

I claim: Y

l. A drop side cot comprising supports, 'two sides, two ends and a bottom one et said sides being adapted to be lowered to a position beneath the bottom of the Cot, swivelling members, apertured lugs carried at the lower corners ot the dropping side and in which the swivelling members are mounted, said swivelling members being eapable ot a limited movement within tlv apertured lugs longitudinally oi' the dropping side, and guides having substantially horizontal parts and upwardly curved lorward ends Vith which the swivelling members are adapted to slidinglyengage during the movement ot' the dropping side into said lowered position.

2. A drop side cot. comprising supports, two sides, two ends and a bottom, one et said sides being adapte-d to be lowered to a position beneath the bottom ot the cot, swivelling guide rings, apertured lugs carH ried at the lower corners of the dropping side and in which the swivelling guide rings are mounted, said guide rings being capable of a limited movement longitudinally ot the dropping side and shaped metal rods having substantially horizontal parts and upwardly curved forward ends and supported on but spaced 'from the cot ends over which metal rods the swivelling rings are adapted to slide during the movement ot the dropping side into said lowered position.

3. A drop side cot comprising supports, two sides, two ends and a bottom, one o said sides being adapted to be lowered to a position beneath the bottom ot the cot and said side being slotted in its ripper eorners, engaging means on the cot ends adapted to engage within the slots in the upper corners` ot the dropping side and retaining plates slidably mounted on the dropping side and adapted to be slid over the slots to retain the engaging means on the cot ends within Ythe slots when the droppin@ side is in the t, i raised position.

In testimony whereof I hav name to this specification.

JOHN VADDINGTON.

signed my 

